Mr. Monk Goes to the Carnival

This week we’re breaking down Mr. Monk Goes to the Carnival: a ferris wheel murder, a scheme cooked up from inside a jail cell, and Adrian Monk riding the carousel with his arms crossed on the one horse that doesn’t move. We also talk about sensory overload, panic attacks in the happiest place on earth, and what it means to hope for something you probably shouldn’t hope for.

Transcript

SPEAKER_06 0:03

Hey, welcome back to I Don't Give a Shalou, a Monk Rewatch podcast. This is Kathy.

SPEAKER_03 0:09

And this is Jen. Hey guys.

SPEAKER_06 0:10

We're so happy to have you back with us.

SPEAKER_03 0:12

Oh, we're the happiest.

SPEAKER_06 0:15

And this is um episode four of Monk, and we are going to the carnival.

SPEAKER_03 0:22

So there's not a lot of background for this episode, so that I can tell you that won't spoil the story. But what I have, I'll sprinkle through the episode. But what about us? A little background on us. Kathy, what's your history with carnivals?

SPEAKER_06 0:35

Um, I am not a big fan of the carnivals.

SPEAKER_03 0:38

Good. I mean, not good, but tell me why.

SPEAKER_06 0:41

Okay, so let's give you a heads up. That this is not a carnival with animals.

SPEAKER_03 0:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 0:46

Um, this is a carnival that is just rides and contests and games. And so picture it. Uh, we are walking into ultimate chaos. And uh where I grew up, we had like a summer festival, and this happened once a year. And I actually really enjoyed it because when you walk in, you're walking on like straw because the ground gets so dirty, and that's all I really remember. That's all I remember about carnivals. Like, if you're expecting more from me, I'm I'm letting you down.

SPEAKER_03 1:19

No, that's good. I'm picturing Pawnee. Um, remember on parks and rags, Pawnee. I don't know. Harvest Festival. Pawnee Harvest Festival. That's what you're where you went. Oh, I love that. So I actually don't remember going to a lot of those, like this one is a pop-up carnival growing up. But once my grandparents moved to Grass Valley, we did go to the Grass Valley Fair, which sounds a lot like yours. Straw on the ground. It had all the rides, hypnotists, corndogs, and my favorite ride was Gravitron.

SPEAKER_06 1:55

Do you remember that?

SPEAKER_03 1:56

Is that where it goes around in a circle and then the floor lets out Yes, you spin so fast that you're pinned to the wall, and you can it sounds horrible, but I'd still go on it today.

SPEAKER_06 2:09

I was like delighted by that.

SPEAKER_03 2:11

Oh, you could, it was going so fast, you were pinned by momentum, but you could move and suddenly you're upside down pinned to the wall. It was the most fun, and I loved it. And then most years my family would take us to Disneyland, like my parents went on their honeymoon there. It's a very special place. It's still one of my favorite places. I love rides, I love the beauty of theme parks, I love theme park food. I love a fried food, all of it. But here's where I do connect with monk in this episode. As much as I love theme parks, I also get how brutal they can be. The noise, the crowds, the sensory overload. My very first panic attack ever was at Disneyland on New Year's Eve. Oh my family, I we were with my family, but the screaming and the noise and the lights, and mostly the people, it really was terrifying. Which is why this episode works so well for Monk. It's a carnival is supposed to be fun. Like at one point, Sottelmeyer even goes, You've seen people have fun. Do do what they're doing. Come on. Um, but for someone like him, it's loud, chaotic, unpredictable, crowded. For someone like you, and I don't mean to like other you, but how would it be as an experience with someone in a wheelchair?

SPEAKER_06 3:27

Oh, yeah, I forgot I'm in a wheelchair.

SPEAKER_03 3:29

Sorry.

SPEAKER_06 3:39

And I sometimes forget.

SPEAKER_03 3:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 3:42

So my entire life I was able-bodied, and now I'm in a wheelchair. So my review that I did, my preparation, I'm like, I'm able-bodied. I'm walking through this festival with no problem. Um, this carnival with no problem. And now I'm in a wheelchair. And no, I am not going to this wheelchair. No effing way. Um, that would be horrible. And I'm not saying that someone who is disabled shouldn't go. Absolutely not. That is like, I'm gonna have people coming after me. But I am not just disabled. I'm disabled and sick, and I'm very dependent on others, and it would just be way too difficult.

SPEAKER_03 4:21

What we're trying to get across is carnivals are not just carnivals for monk. Okay. So let's get into the episode. Are we ready? Now that we've totally empathized with monk and made sure everybody knows we get it. Um, this is Monk Season 1, Episode 4, Mr. Monk Goes to the Carnival. The scene opens with an aerial view of a night carnival all lit up. Bright lights glow from a Ferris wheel and octopus ride, screams and laughter fill the night, and a car pulls up outside the entrance. Stodelmeyer is dropping off another man. Before the other man jumps out of the car, the captain says, I don't like it. You ought to be wearing a wire or something. The other man brushes him off, though. Nah, he says casually, we don't even know what he's got. Leland is nervous. Says maybe he should stay, watches back. But this other guy scoffs. Leland, you always worry too much. Go home, he chides. It's past your bedtime. Leland grimaces, then tells the guy, which we find out his name is Adam, to call him Captain. Especially in front of the other guys. And I'm thinking old partner. Adam apologizes. Oh, I'm I'm sorry, Captain, he says sincerely, then a smile cracks the earnest mask. I still can't say it without laughing, he says, getting out of the passenger seat, chuckling. Adam walks into the carnival with his hands in his pocket, looking up at the octopus ride arm soaring above his head. We get a good look at him. Adam is average, white, clean cut, middish age, like thirties, forty-ish. He looks like he used to have classic sitcom dad good looks, but years of drinking and trauma may have hardened his edges. There's something sinister about him. Would you agree?

SPEAKER_06 6:06

I agree. I was just thinking, what a nice description. Oh, thank you.

SPEAKER_03 6:11

I'm trying to take a little time in describing these characters. Scanning the crowd, he takes a long sip from a flask. A young guy with dark circles around his eyes shuffles through the crowd. He's wearing a baggy gray hoodie and looks nervous. As he's looking around, a girl takes his picture and gives him a ticket. The poor kid is scanning the crowd. Then he sees Adam. He makes his way over.

SPEAKER_06 6:34

He's like, I don't want the Ooh, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:36

And I don't know why I called him the poor kid. I think something about the way he's nervous.

SPEAKER_06 6:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:41

They introduce themselves and Adam flashes his badge. You have something to tell me? He asks the kid. No, no, no. I said I have something to sell you, the kid responds. And when I say kid, I'd say he's like teens, early 20-ish.

SPEAKER_06 6:58

Yeah, I would say twenties.

SPEAKER_03 6:59

I don't want people to picture a 10-year-old, yeah. Selling drugs. No, no, no. I have something to sell you, the kid responds. A shipment of purple haze, he says, 10,000 tabs. I know when, I know where, I know who.

SPEAKER_06 7:14

Okay, so as your resident stoner here. Yes. I'm very confused by this because purple haze is a strain of pot, but tabs is something that we would be like tablets, drugs, um, or like LSD. So I'm very confused at this point. I did Google it to make sure I wasn't losing my mind. But I do think we're talking about weed here.

SPEAKER_03 7:36

I did the same thing because I wrote, isn't it nice that pot is legal now? All this hullabaloo over weed. And then I went, wait, weed doesn't come in tabs.

SPEAKER_06 7:46

Exactly. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 7:48

Anyway, he asks Adam if he's interested. I hate this line. He says, if it's righteous, I am.

SPEAKER_06 7:54

Oh, I didn't catch that.

SPEAKER_03 7:57

What does that mean if it's so I don't know if Adam is playing a dirty cop. I don't know what their relationship is supposed to be. But this is all set up. The kid is amped up and says, Okay, but it can't happen here. And Adam's like, No, this is fine. The kid turns away and Adam grabs his arm aggressively, and the kid immediately yells loudly, Hey, get your hands off me. Adam, nonplussed, pulls the kid to him. Do we have a problem? He growls. The kid gets quiet again and says, I can't talk here. Then he nods to the Ferris wheel. Up there. I don't think so. Who told you to call me? Adam demands. I'll tell you, the kid jerks his head up again. Up there. And I'm like, Adam, go with your gut. This is all kinds of weird. But Adam ignores me and his gut, following the kid through the crowd. Next we see the duo being clipped into the Ferris wheel seat. The attendant pulls the lever and up, up, up they go. We watch from a distance as they rise, then hear the same kid start screaming, Hey, somebody call the cops, this guy is trying to kill me. We can hear Adam trying to call him him, but the kid gets louder and louder, rocking the bucket seat back and forth, and a crowd is forming around the Ferris wheel. The ride stops and Adam gets off, walking forward. He says to the kid without looking back, You're sick, buddy. To the crowd gathered, he pulls out a badge. Police officer, step back. He gets down to the ground and sighs in relief, but the crowd is anything but relieved. What did you do? Someone asks. We look back to the seat, and there's the kid finally still with a knife plunged in his chest.

SPEAKER_06 9:42

Yeah, sorry, that was that was a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 9:46

No, I love that.

SPEAKER_06 9:48

Um so I've seen this episode probably three times over years, and I never really have any idea what's happening at the beginning. Like, um, that's the case for some episodes, and I just like float over the beginning. I'm like, I don't know what's going on, but I'll figure it out later. And that's definitely the case for this episode. Um, yeah, I have no idea what's going on. I mean, you're right. There's a paid attention really hard because we were prepping for this episode. That's so good. And like I I really I really focused. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 10:21

But still no idea.

SPEAKER_06 10:23

I swear. I I've watched it many times and I'm like, oh, someone died.

SPEAKER_03 10:28

They seem to, because these are all written by different people, and I'm not gonna go who wrote different things, but um, they seem to waffle between we know how the murder was committed, sometimes we know who committed the murder, sometimes they but like shows like Columbo always showed us who committed the murder, and then we get to watch Columbo solve the crime. This is gonna be kind of all over the place, I think. Sometimes we won't we'll just know that a murder occurred. So which is kind of nice because we don't there's not maybe there's a hard and fast setup later on, but right now they're playing with different yeah. Back at the carnival, we overhear a reporter live at fiving. Lieutenant Adam Kirk is no stranger to controversy. Six years ago he was suspended for using excessive force. The camera pants to Stottlemeyer, fully suited up standing over Adam Kirk. From here on to be referred to either as Adam or Kirk. Two first names. A little confusing. Yeah, it's tough. Have you been drinking? Stottlemeyer asks. Adam shrugs the question away. I don't know, a taste. Amphetamines? Anything, Stottlemeyer pushes. They're gonna want a blood test. Bring it on, Adam Blusters. We then hear the reporter continue. And he was in the news again recently when alleged killer Leonard Stokes accused him of police brutality. Another suit approaches the two former partners and Stodelmeyer demands thirty more seconds. The suit waves his hands up and turns away. Internal affairs is gonna rip you apart, Stodelmeyer tells him. Well they've been trying for years. Studelmeyer gets a little desperate here. Is there anything Kirk wants to tell him? There was a knife. They had a scuffle, but Kirk stands up, cutting him off. Leland! Leland, I never touched him. Studelmeyer is dubious. There were bruises on his chest, he says. Then he must have stuck himself. It's fishy and weird, and Leland is clearly skeptical. But he tells Adam, All right, from this point forward you don't say anything. You don't speak English. He's going to call some people from some acronym to help out. But not a word. You know when they're like, I'm gonna call CBS or FFA. The other suit could help you. I didn't remember what it was. The other suit reappears and takes Lieutenant Adam Kirk away, and we follow Stodemeyer. A medical examiner, Paul, is helping remove the dead body from the Ferris wheel. He was stabbed in the aorta, he tells the captain, dead before he hit the ground. As for the bruises, he won't know more until he's taken the Vic to his beauty parlor. I like this Emmy Paul. Yeah. I hope he stays.

SPEAKER_06 13:07

He has a nice moment.

SPEAKER_03 13:08

Does he stay?

SPEAKER_06 13:09

I don't remember him. But again, I was paying closer attention than I normally do. Like more normally I'm like.

SPEAKER_03 13:17

Well, like in Psyche, the the medical examiner um is an entire character.

SPEAKER_06 13:24

Yeah, so I would think you would remember. And uh other shows. Yes. I like fall in love with it and the medical examiner on um The Closer. But I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 13:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 13:39

But I'm just a really bad TV watcher.

SPEAKER_03 13:42

I mean, we all have we're watching with two screens now, so you know. Stodlemeyer addresses Disher. He needs the lab to run the knife as soon as possible, and he needs someone to charge and book Kirk. Disher's eyes are saucers as he takes in that last request. Stodlemeyer shakes his head. What am I supposed to do? Two guys go up alone, one of them comes down dead. What do you want me to do? Disher looks around and behind him. Captain, he says quietly, what about Monk? He might see something we don't. But the captain reminds him, Monk is busy. He's going in front of the review board tomorrow. They can't put any more pressure on him. He'll be a basket case tomorrow. I love this scene, this next scene. I hope I describe it well. Okay. Next we see Monk sitting in one of a row of empty chairs. He's clearly nervous, trying not to fidget. He sits across from three officials in suits. Two men in their sixties flank a thirty-something blonde. They are all in suits, and this is very serious. Behind them, a large slider window fills most of the wall. The blinds are down but opened, so we can see the city just outside.

SPEAKER_06 14:52

Sorry, I laughed prematurely.

SPEAKER_03 14:56

The suit on the right is addressing Monk. Former detective monk, we've been reviewing your file, which includes a statement from your psychiatrist, Dr. Kroger, the man drowns on, clearly not emotionally involved in his job. He continues, now, he says you're still obsessed with the murder of your wife, to the point where you're emotionally paralyzed. Do you agree? During this, we see Monk's attention is split. Behind the panel, he notices three slats in the blinds that are stuck together. You know how sometimes when you're peering through the blinds and they part, but sometimes they stay like all gung together?

SPEAKER_06 15:30

They're not high quality. No. Yeah. They're the cheapies.

SPEAKER_03 15:34

So monks notice the blinds, but he's still following the man's statement, and in response to the question, Callner responds, Well, she was my wife. You can understand. It's not just any other case. The blonde woman asks, How's that investigation going? To which Monk replies, We're stalled. Frankly, it's a dead end. This feels harsh, but maybe Monk is trying to show some distance.

SPEAKER_06 15:56

I feel like it's a really awful pun and I'm not gonna laugh.

SPEAKER_03 16:01

It is, I didn't even catch that. Oh, that's dark, Kathy. I'm sorry. Wow. Yeah, I'm sorry. The other man chimes in and says, Kroger has said Monk is showing significant improvement in many of the other small problems. Monk looks at the blinds again. He's bothered, but he's redirecting. Yes, he says with a small smile. I've been working hard. Since your suspension, you've been working as a private detective, is that right? The woman asks, while the man to her right tosses a bald up piece of paper on the ground, just missing the waste paper basket. Monk notices. But he takes a deep breath and looks up. Well, it hasn't made me rich, but it's what I do. The white man on the left repeats Monk's statement and smiles. It's what you do. I like that. He pours some water into a glass, but a little misses and falls to the side. Monk notices. You feel that you're ready to do what you do for us again? The man asks, lifting his glass from the puddle. Monk notices. Smile frozen on his face, and I'm bracing. I think I'm ready, Monk says calmly, confidently. He reminds them of the consulting work he's already been doing for the department eight occasions so far. It's very impressive, they tell him. But isn't it true, the blonde asks, that on many of these occasions his phobias have hindered the investigations? Monk is looking at the ball of paper. For example, she continues, last February your fear of heights allowed a suspect to escape. Glance to the water puddle. Well, Monk responds, no officer is without fear of some kind, he reminds her. And she agrees a bit. That's true. We all accept that. As long as those fears don't interfere with the performance of his duties. Monk's smile widens as white male number one tells him they'll be making a formal recommendation for reinstatement by the end of the week. But they still have to speak to two or three more people, including Captain Leland Stodlemeyer. Monk breaks in here. Captain Stodlemeyer, he questions, to which they explain, Well, as your commanding officer for years, the testimony is crucial. Monk nods, looking at the blinds again.

SPEAKER_06 18:08

So I I feel so bad for him. I mean I'm really proud of him, but I'm also like feeling so bad for him as these things add up. The blinds, the paper missing the basket, the drops of water on the table. And I actually think he's doing a phenomenal job, and that he's not saying anything and he's like not focusing on it. Like I'm really proud of him in this moment.

SPEAKER_03 18:28

I am too. The way they did this, I was really braced for an explosion.

SPEAKER_06 18:33

Exactly.

SPEAKER_03 18:34

Like I I thought, problem over, he's not gonna get it. But he nailed it. He did so good.

SPEAKER_06 18:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:43

And then so they say, Well, thanks for coming in. And he is tensely looking at the blinds. He kind of loses himself.

SPEAKER_05 18:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:51

Mr. Monk, the woman says, which breaks him out of his fixation. Thank you, he says stiffly, and you can tell how badly he wants. Sasha needs to fix the disorder. But instead, he stands up and thanks them again. And we all let out a breath that we didn't know we were holding. Yes. He did it. I love this next scene. We next see Sharona waiting by the car outside the Hall of Justice. The second she sees Monk, she bursts out, How did it go? To which he responds, It went great. They are both. I love this, I love this. She squeals and Monk fills her in. I was amazing.

SPEAKER_01 19:29

I was amazing. I was redestare.

SPEAKER_03 19:33

Monk's smile is a mile wide as he walks past her to the driver's side door. What are you doing? she asks. I'm driving, he confidently responds. Get in the car. Sharona crashes down to reality and tells him, No, you're not. Monk promptly moves back to her and suddenly walks right back to her and says they could be watching him right now. Right now, he says through his teeth. He can't let them see her driving him and look like an invalid, so get in the car, he commands again. They have a whole back and forth. She wants to know, does he even know how to drive? He doesn't want to look like a baby. Does he even have a license? He's trying to get his detective badge back. She just put in a new twelve hundred dollar at transmission. It goes on and on, her hair looks great, and suddenly the two white men from the review board come out. Mr. Monk, you're still here. Yeah, Monk says casually, walking towards the driver's side and nodding for Sharona to get in. She holds up the keys and they get in the car.

SPEAKER_06 20:38

Oh, pressure's on. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 20:41

Both men watch.

SPEAKER_06 20:42

And then he goes and he gets in the driver's side back door. I love it.

SPEAKER_03 20:50

And then he confidently gets out, gets in the driver's side, he bumps something behind them. Oh my god, he's horrible. And then he almost gets hit by another car. And then off camera, he busts Sharona's headlight by hitting a pole. Yep. Sharona is furious, lamenting over the crushed headlight. Monk is unbothered, telling her, it's nothing. And I really am getting like stuck in what is their financial situation? Is he gonna pay for this? Because where's his money coming from?

SPEAKER_06 21:24

They talk about finances a lot in other episodes. In this episode, they don't get into it.

SPEAKER_03 21:30

Um later she calls him a very cheap man.

SPEAKER_06 21:32

He is a really he's a he's a cheapskate. He is horrible.

SPEAKER_03 21:36

Yeah, so don't be reckless with her stuff. Oh my god, it's horrible. Ah. And then so she's furious, but then the phone rings. It's Stoutelmeyer. He needs them. Monk hurries to get back in the driver's seat. But she he's quickly blocked. And Sharona lets him know that even when hell freezes over, she's still driving. In a courtroom, we see the Prosecution reminding the judge of Kirk's previous offenses. Kirk, so this is Adam Kirk, is sitting with his defense attorney and he loses it, accusing them all of going after him and not the serial killer he caught. It's tense and it's clear Kirk actually does not have any self-control. And I really don't want him to be back on the street as a cop. Monk and Sharona joined Disher and the captain in the back of the courtroom. His defense attorney requests that Kirk be released on his own recognition, listing that's a tough word, recognizance. Yeah. Listing his many accomplishments and years of service. Plus the charges against Kirk have not been substantiated. To which the judge says, I don't know how much more substantiated a case can get. Which feels like the judge has already judged Kirk. Anyway, bail is set at fifty thousand. Outside the courtroom, Stademeyer is pacing, fidgeting, and fidgeting with his wedding ring. He asks Monk what he thinks. Monk recounts the facts. They're on a Ferris wheel alone. The Ferris wheel stops. One man is dead. Stottenmeyer breaks in, he knows it looks bad. Bad is not the word, Monk retorts. Guilty is the word. Disher jumps in. Kirk's got a temper, they're not denying that. Monk's like, you couldn't deny it. I've seen it firsthand. Kirk and Monk have beef, I'm guessing. Still, Stodemeyer pushes. Something is not right here. Kirk swore to him up and down that he did not touch the kid. Monk shares a look at Sharona. He's deeply unconvinced and wants to know what the captain even wants him to do. But we know what Stodemeyer wants him to do. Do his thing, do his monk thing, see the hidden details, solve the hardest cases. He's known Kirk forever, he's a great cop, and Sherona pipes in here and says, You used to say that about Adrian.

SPEAKER_07 23:46

Could we not make this a personal thing? This is not about who Daddy loves more.

SPEAKER_03 23:55

I don't need Stodemeier to refer to himself as Daddy ever again, but we also all know that Daddy loves Disher the most.

SPEAKER_06 24:04

Oh no, Disher wishes. Disher wishes Daddy loved him the most.

SPEAKER_03 24:10

Leland looks at Monk and asks sincerely, please, you do right by me and I'll owe you one, alright? Monk and Sharona move to the side to discuss.

SPEAKER_06 24:19

Okay, quick time out here. Sharona's hair looks amazing really. It really does where they're discussing, you know, if Monk's gonna take the case. And I think, you know, this is not relevant to the plot, but it is relevant and critical to curly girls of the world. So if you are a curly girl of the world, this is your moment.

SPEAKER_03 24:39

I'm a straight, but man, I'm jealous of the curly girls of the world. Oh, if only to be one. Just once. I got a perm when I was in sixth grade. A tight spiral. I loved it so much.

SPEAKER_06 24:52

You know, you and I were once driving somewhere and you pointed out where you got your perm. And now every time I pass that place, I'm like, that is where Jen got her perm. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:02

It's like etched in my brain. I love that. It was a core memory for me and apparently you. And for me. Okay, so we get a really cute scene here where Monk and Sharonda go off to the side to discuss whether or not he should take the case. Sharon's like, of course you should, because the captain's gonna testify in front of the review board. This can only help. And Monk agrees, but he wants it them to talk a little bit while longer because they want it to look like he's really struggling with whether or not to take a big decision. So they talk about Benji and that he's struggling with math when suddenly Stademeyer interrupts. Hey Monk, they turn. We can hear you. The force and come back together and Stademeyer lays out the game plan. This has to be done under the table, off the book. Internal affairs is all over this already. They don't want any outsiders poking around. We're gonna need stealth and secrecy. And Monk nods. They shake hands and Sharona pulls out a wipe, to which Monk stops her and says, It's okay, giving the captain a confident smile. As Disher and the Cap walk away, Monk frantically wipes his hand clean, to which the captain says, without turning around, I saw that Adrian.

SPEAKER_06 26:16

So I I was thinking here, I took my note. My note, everyone. I go, Aw, he pretended he didn't need the white because like he didn't want to hurt Leland's feelings. And then I realized, no, it has nothing to do with that. He just wants to look like he's sane because Leland is going in front of the board tomorrow. And so then I took back my sweet feelings. I was like, no sweet feelings for you.

SPEAKER_03 26:42

Good. Yeah. In the next scene, Lieutenant Adam Kirk peers from behind the drawn curtains of his house. A gaggle of reporters are camped out front. He's furious. Look at them out there, he says to Monk, all desperate to get a picture of a killer cop. Too bad I can't charge them rent. As for Monk, he told the reporters he was just a friend, and that's it. Kirk thanks him for lying, and now we know for sure there's beef. But Kirk continues, just so he knows, he doesn't hold what Monk did against him, and Monk is confused. Why would he? He told the truth. Kirk swigs from a water bottle, from your point of view. They go back and forth from which I can surmise Kirk was too aggressive with a perp and Monk testified against him. They don't actually outright tell us, but Kirk still, Kirk is grateful Monk is there for him now and he seems genuine. Kirk next details why the whole situation is truly messed up, with why it matters he gets off and regain his credibility. So this serial killer, Stokes, is claiming that Kirk beat a murder confession out of him. Is this the only evidence they have? A confession? I'm at the point where confessions count for shit. I want all the evidence. Being locked up for a crime I didn't do is actually one of my worst fears. And we know that false confessions are really, really real. Is that really one of your worst fears? Yes. Fears? I can't say the word? Yeah. Oh. 100%.

SPEAKER_06 28:06

I will keep that in mind. I I don't know how why I would keep that in mind. Never mind.

SPEAKER_03 28:11

I mean, look, the next time you're s you're like committing a crime, I just don't let me be nearby because I'll I'll confess.

SPEAKER_06 28:19

I don't I don't um commit crimes, I don't think. I mean, not anymore, but we all remember. I don't think I was a big crime committer at any time.

SPEAKER_03 28:30

Mmm. It's your foggy memory. I mean, I I'm joking, Kathy. You've never, I don't want to supplant it. You've never that's why you don't go by an anonymous name. You're not the one to worry about here. So Monk seems pissed. He wraps a bunch of paper towels around his hand and starts collecting dirty dishes from Kirk's table. Sharona explains that it helps him think. While Monk is cleaning, Adam tells him what happened that night. He got a call from the punk kid Gittimer. That's his name, Gittimer. They'd never met and he had a bit of a record. Kirk just thought he'd check him out. The kid wanted to meet at the carnival to discuss a shipment of drugs, purple haze. We know the rest. The kid says he'll only talk on the Ferris wheel, so they get up, get on, and he just goes postal. Hand to God, Kirk swears he didn't touch him. But as they rise up, the kid is bellowing, help me, this guy's gonna kill me. So the operator shuts down the ride. Kirk jumps off, walking about ten feet away when he hears a scream. He turns around and there's Gittimer with a knife in his chest. No clue whose knife it was. Throughout the whole story we see flashes of Sherona squinting, looking doubtful. Monk voices his doubt as well. Maybe the kids shoved Kirk and Kirk shoved back. Things got out of hand. It happens. Monk pushes. At this, Kirk loses his shit and screams back No, it doesn't happen. It causes Sherona to flinch and he gets right in Monk's face. Not to me, Kirk says imploringly. Not anymore. There's a moment of tense silence. Then Monk turns away, placing a dish in the sink. How's Anita? Monk asks. Kirk is calm but avoids eye contact. Oh, she's good, he says. Thanks for asking. Monk then asks, Where is she? Looks like they just missed her. She should be back any moment. It's clear this guy's falsify statements here. Monk glances at some gardening magazines. Then he tells Kirk if they're gonna work together, he's gotta be honest with them. Kirk is calm but avoids eye contact. Monk continues. You two had a fight and she moved out. Kirk's like, Nuh uh who told you that? And Monk points to all the dying plants around. And the gardening magazines. Come on, my man, it's obvious. Kirk turns away from them and says, Well, she always comes back. Monk pushes in all the chairs at the kitchen table, walks past Sharona, telling her, I'm done here. And before leaving, Monk tells Kirk that he can't make any promises. Understood, Kirk replies. It was a uh was it my favorite scene? Basically, from it, we get the point that Kirk is clearly having anger issues. I wasn't sure if we needed to put in his yell because it's so quick. But like, he's aggressive. I actually wrote initially and then I took it out. This guy is completely like PMDD feels. Like he's calm one second and then rage! Then calm. He's trying to keep his cool. Yeah. But his wife has clearly left him. He's not cleaning up after himself. He's on the verge of rage every second. And we don't know if this is how Kirk is normally or if this is how he is because of the situation. But either way, Sharona clearly doesn't believe it. Monk is very dubious. And then so we get to the next scene. We're back at the carnival, but this time during the day, Monk, Sharona, and Benji walk through the crowd. Monk reminds them that, okay, they're not officially on the case, so be cool. To which Sharona dryly says, Don't worry, we'll be as cool as you.

SPEAKER_06 32:09

And right off the bat, I'm really impressed that he can walk around in the carnival. He gets like bumped by people, he gets eyed by people, he doesn't want to step on the messy ground. And I'll be honest, like, that's just like me. I don't want to step on the messy ground either. And he seems pretty comfortable considering his idiosyncrasies.

SPEAKER_03 32:29

I fully agree. Also, they're going towards the middle of the day when to me, give me the an early morning carnival or theme park, give me a late night when the lights are out. But in the middle of the day, when it's the hottest, when the crowds are surging, speeding down there's no way. I'd rather I mean it is a special version of hell for me. So um they approach the ticket booth and Benji asks how many tickets they can get. Monk scans the crowd and the ground and is inundated by all the stickiness around, like you said. And Sharona, clearly very annoyed, tells Benji that she's not sure on the amount of tickets and that she works for a very cheap man. Then, after buying ten tickets, says, I also work for a very naive man who doesn't know when he's being used. And Monk's like, What? Who's being used? You are, Sharona tells him. But Monk has stopped listening, instead stopping to look up, up, up at the Ferris wheel. Sherona asks him what's wrong, and he tells her the ride, it's too big. He doesn't know if he can get on. She tells him to suck it up. He has to. It's the crime scene. She pulls Benji away to the bumper cars, but Monk continues to stand there, swallowing, repeatedly saying, Nah, no, no, shaking his head. Next, Monk Sharona and Benji meet up with Stottlemeyer. Monk is clearly uncomfortable. There's a lot of noise, huge crowds. He seems to be holding himself extra tight and close. Sharona reintroduces the captain to Benji. They shake hands and are making small talk when the picture girl from the first night approaches them. She's young, like 20-ish, I'd say. But honestly, at this age, it's hard to tell. Glad you got that detail. I'm like, are they my age or are they 20 years younger? I can't, I don't know. Or are they 20 years older? I don't know. Um, but she's blonde and she has a wide smile and loopy pigtails. She asks them if they want a picture. They all turn away. No. But she's tenacious. Come on. She tells them, it's a souvenir, it's a carnival. She pulls them all together and says, one big happy family takes the picture, then hands them a ticket. Monk stares after the picture girl, and the music gets a little bouncy. I realize it's not so much jazz, at least in this episode. It's just bouncy. I thought we called it Jaunty. Oh, well, we called it Jaunty Jazz, but um, I'm not sure if it's jazz. And I after re-listening to all of our podcasts, I get so much wrong, confidently. Okay. So no more jaunty. No, I'll call it Jaunty. Okay. I promise. I didn't know it was so important to you.

SPEAKER_06 35:16

Well, I liked that we had a name for it.

SPEAKER_03 35:19

Alright. I'm just gonna call it Jaunty Jazz from now on because Kathy likes it. So if you have a problem, take it up with her.

SPEAKER_04 35:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 35:26

In the next scene, the photographer drops a load of eight by tens on the table in front of Monk and Stottlemeyer. All the unclaimed pictures from the night of the murder. While the captain is sorting through them, Sharona tells Monk she's gonna take Benji on the bumper cars. Like a mom, she tells him to stick close by the captain and if he gets lost to go find the nearest policeman. Monk gives her a dirty look as she strolls. Bingo! Stodelmeyer shouts, drawing our attention back. He points at a picture of the kid, the victim, with his zip sweatshirt zipped all the way up. Which is weird because it must have been 95 degrees that night. In actual fact, the week that they filmed the episode was one of the hottest in Toronto history, getting up to the hundreds. Oh really? Yeah. It was so hot, many of the extras kept yelling to stop the rise because people were passing out. And when I heard that, I wondered what it was like to be an extra. Like, we know it was hot, that's been established, but for the extras, we know these are incredibly long days. Like they get paid a fee, but they have to stay there. And for this one, they have to be fairgoers. That's their job. Ride the rides. And do you think they would have to ride the rides for hours? Yes. Because in the heat without water, otherwise, what would constitute being on a ride for 30 seconds, like you know, say three minutes? You're not gonna pass out. But they must have been on those loops. On the Ferris wheel for hours hours while they're doing shoots and reshoots and then have passing out. I just love that stuff. Anyway, Monk and Stottlemeyer then approach the Ferris wheel, and Stodlmeyer is narrating once again. So we get the whole makeup of the story. They retell what happens over and over. Um, they meet over there and they walk through there, and then they get on the ride. The ride goes round and round, it stops, and the kid is dead. The captain tells Monk he's grilled everyone in the park. He has a long list of, but as he's talking, he sees two white men in suits. Steltenmeyer curses, it's internal affairs. He steals a purple flower balloon from a young girl.

unknown 37:32

Okay.

SPEAKER_06 37:33

Poor girl, yeah. I love this. I I love when he steals the balloon from the kid, and the kid goes, Hey, yeah. And I have wrote a note. It's a pretty balloon, it's a complex sort of flower, purple and yellow. And yes, this has no point in the plot, but I just think everyone should know it's a really beautiful balloon.

SPEAKER_03 37:53

It really is, and they put a lot of budget in these balloons. Yeah, this had to be an expensive balloon. It's weird, it reminded me of an everlasting gobstopper, but it was a flower. It was a daisy, but like the, you know, like the little angulars from the original Biliwonka. Ah anyway, but yeah, it was a good balloon. Yeah. So that poor girl. Anyway, so Stadlmeyer takes it and he hands it to Monk, telling him, You just happen to be here. Then both men turn to greet the agents. They make very awkward small talk. Monk is feigning a deep love for edgy carnival life. They're like, Monk, we didn't expect to see you here. He's like, Yeah, no, I love carnivals. They're so edgy. And then Stadelmeyer takes Monk over to find Sharona. Monk asks the captain what he sh what should he do while he waits. Stademeyer says, Have fun. Monk's bewildering look, he says, Look, you've seen other people do it. Have fun, copy them. And then we get a vignette of Monk trying to have fun at a carnival. Yes. Riding the carousel on the one seat that doesn't go up and down, arms crossed, frowning. And we should say he's in his suit. He's always in his suit, but he's at a carnival.

SPEAKER_06 39:10

I don't know that we've described the suit before. Like he has his shirt buttoned up to the top button. And he's always in the same brown beige, braige, braige suit.

SPEAKER_03 39:24

And do you know why he doesn't wear a tie? I don't know why he doesn't wear a tie. This was actually, I'm so excited to tell you. This was a shaloub choice because he felt like Monk needed less things to fidget with, and if the tie was ever askew or off, it would drive him crazy. And so Tony Shaloub like went to costume and was like, don't give him a uh tie.

SPEAKER_06 39:45

Oh, I feel like I have to give you a future tidbit. Yeah. There is an episode where he's given a tie and he fidgets nonstop. Really? Yes. Um I I always want to give you future tidbits when we're talking. And I appreciate your restraining. I have restrained myself. And this is the first time I have let myself be free. How does it feel? I I was still I still restrained myself quite a bit because I didn't tell you what's happening. And that's what I'm saying. Stop yourself now. Okay, I'll stop myself.

SPEAKER_03 40:20

But thank you.

SPEAKER_06 40:21

I restrained myself so much last episode. You have no idea. Really? Yes. There was so much to tell you. And there's just so much.

SPEAKER_03 40:32

You know what, everybody, when you're out and you meet heroes in real life, make sure to thank them. Thank you, Kathy. You're welcome. You're welcome. Alright, so Monk is um he's attempting whack-a-mole without a single whack. He's just holding the mallet, frozen in indecision, then leaping out of his skin at the shrill bell signaling a winner. Monk finally sits with Sharona, who is contentedly eating the hot dog, watching people pass by. He looks from one fried option to another, then sighs, I'm so hungry. Then get a hot dog, Sharona tells him. No, no, no, no, no, thank you, no. Benji runs up and asks for two dollars to enter a raffle. If he can guess how many jelly beans are in a jar, he can win a boom box. Monk sedately pipes in. Isn't that such a sweet sign of the time? Yes! I miss boom boxes. I loved mine. I do, I miss them.

SPEAKER_06 41:31

Mine had a double cassette so that I could tape, like make mixed tapes. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 41:38

Mine had one tape, but it also had a CD player on top. Ah, very nice. So Monk sedately pipes in and tells Benji, 8,385. You haven't seen the jar, so how can you guess? Sharona demands. Monk just looks at the boy. Benji, he tells him, 8,385. Benji runs off to enter. Just then the internal affair guys come into view. Monk and Sharona get up. Look like we're blending in. And Sharona's like, sure, we blend. Sharona gets Monk some cotton candy, which he won't touch.

SPEAKER_06 42:14

And I put I I can't believe this that he even takes it from her and holds it. I won't hold cotton candy because it's the most disgusting thing ever. It's so sticky.

SPEAKER_03 42:25

But it melts in your mouth like magic. Oh, that is exactly why you don't want to be. It doesn't melt on your hand. If you have enough. It's sticky on your hand. Is it? Yes. It's been a long time, but I would bite into some cotton candy so hard right now, and it would be a little unsatisfying because it melts in your mouth.

SPEAKER_06 42:42

But I'd rather have a rice crispy treat. No. Wrong. I don't know why that came to my mind, but like if we're gonna bite into something.

SPEAKER_03 42:49

I mean texture-wise crispy treat. Well, Monk won't eat it, he won't touch it. But then he gets nearly assaulted by a dancing person in a bear costume. The bear dances in a circle and bumps into Sharona, and Monk is smiling. Like we see, I don't know if it's that Sharona gets assaulted, but for something seems to kind of relax and he's having a little bit of fun. And when she asks him, Are you actually having fun? He says, I think so. My head stopped throbbing. But there are too many clouds. Way too many clowns. And I agree. And there's a fun, I have a fun fact for you. I actually did a lot of background research that I was gonna tell you about, like the history of crimes in carnivals, and then I realized you're not gonna want to hear that. But this is quick. John Wayne Gacy actually worked as a traveling carnival worker.

SPEAKER_06 43:37

Oh, that's just perfect.

SPEAKER_03 43:38

Yeah. But this was a decade, like a full decade before his killing spree began, and even before he developed his clown persona pogo.

SPEAKER_06 43:46

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_03 43:47

Um, but Benji runs up carrying a boom box nearly as big as him. And I wrote, I miss boom boxes. Where did you get that Sharona Demands? I won, a jubilant Benji tells her. It was the Jelly Bean contest. Mr Monk was right. He was only off by eight. Sherona is thrilled for Benji, but also desperate to know how did he do it? A lucky guess, Monk replies, watching the Internal Affairs men talking to Stadelmeyer. He completely ignores Sherona, who continues to me to demand answers. Stadlemeyer waves Monk over. They've got an hour, he tells Monk. He sent the agents over to a stripper bar where Kirk hangs out. More information about Kirk and why I don't love him as a cop. Monk and the captain approach the Ferris wheel, and the captain greets the attendant, Kitty Malone, which is quite a name for quite a girl. Kitty seems to be in her mid-twenties, but with an exhausted mid-40s attitude. Oh, very nice people. She has short bangs surrounded by choppy red and white streaked layers throughout her dark hair. She's wearing capris with sandals and an amazing denim vest shirt. That I absolutely had this denim vest shirt, but I always wore things underneath it, and she's not. In this scene.

SPEAKER_06 45:04

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 45:05

I just not remember, but I see you. I can only dream of being so daring.

SPEAKER_06 45:09

Like is she wearing a sports bra, you mean? Or she has it closed and we don't know.

SPEAKER_03 45:14

So it's just the denim shirt. I have the vision. Yeah. Um finally, a diamond nose ring sparkles next to her annoyed sneer at being asked about the murder again. She narrates the events for Monk. In the seven years she's worked there, she's never had an accident, never had a problem until last night. Until that night, excuse me. She once again retells the events from her point of view. And this is like the fourth time we've heard the same event being retold, so I'm not going to do it again, but I do like her rendition the most. It's got the most spunk. During her monologue, we can see Monk continue to glance up at the ride, only to shudder and look away. I can see where this is going, and my dread is building for him. She points to where Gittimer, the victim, fell, and Monk moves to take a look closer.

SPEAKER_06 46:01

She mentions it's uh booth number four.

SPEAKER_03 46:03

Oh good, yeah. Nice, Kathy. Um, she stops the ride and people are yelling, but so but she gives him two minutes. So those people have to wait on the ride. I would be so mad.

SPEAKER_06 46:15

They stop it and they're like analyzing the filthy seed. It has like popcorn and all sorts of like carnival grime on it.

SPEAKER_03 46:24

Not to mention it's not fresh. There have been so many butts in those. Oh my gosh, yeah. But Jaunty, I wrote it, Jaunty music swells as Monk uses tweezers to pull out a playing card that has pieces cut out of one half. I mean, what is the likelihood that is from the crime? It could be from anybody. Yeah. And um, but they realize it's half a tarot card. And Stademeyer is you and says, anyone could have left that. But Monk ignores him and says, I think I need to see Gittimer's place. In the next scene, Sharona and Monk stand in a bear apartment. A man, I'm presuming to be the landlord, stands with them annoyed. Monk shows this man the tarot card. The landlord has like a cliff clavin accent from Cheers. I love it. So it's a and I had to look it up, it's a Boston accent. And I wrote this. I love that shows set in California, actors will choose, like their acting choices will be from different parts. And yes, California is a mecca for people moving here. Um, like you're not from here, but I've noticed other shows like The Mentalists set in California when they go to like rural places. The actors always choose to do steep southern accents. Like they're farmers, but they they're like third-generation farmers. Clearly would not have a California wouldn't have a southern accent.

SPEAKER_06 47:44

They just want to show off their dialect.

SPEAKER_03 47:45

It's just cute. Um anyway, the super knows nothing about the tarot card, and really nothing about Gittimer, except he lived there for nine weeks, but paid for ten. Monk is looking up at a long string hanging from a dirty ceiling fan. When Sharona calls him over, she lifts out a sock filled with lumps. And she asks he keeps his batteries in a sock? But Monk knows what it is. It's a weapon. They use it in prison. Monk notices a tear near the top of the sock, touching it with his tweezers, and he then looks back at the fan. He pulls down the string by a hook attached to the end and beckons Sharona to attach the battery sock. She fits the sock to the hook and they stand back. Monk turns on the fan and the battery filled sock spins fill around the room. What the hell is that? The landlord asks. I think he hit himself with it, Shrunk replied. Shrunk. Shrunk. That's their um their couple names.

SPEAKER_06 48:44

Monk and Shrunk. Oh my gosh, I probably just like set the mic off while I laugh so I think he hit himself with it, Monk replies.

SPEAKER_03 48:52

Clues connecting, ideas forming. All he had to do was ask the super offers. I would have been happy to beat the crap out of this kid. And suddenly this guy feels chatty.

SPEAKER_06 49:01

He goes and lived there nine weeks, but paid for tenses. Someone has a refund coming.

SPEAKER_01 49:09

Kid, I knew he was trouble. Never paid the phone bill, but always had money to go dancing.

SPEAKER_05 49:14

He went dancing?

SPEAKER_01 49:15

Yeah, every night. That club over in the in the park there, the Luna Lounge.

SPEAKER_03 49:22

So, we next arrive at a club. The front is decorated with graffiti, rusted bikes, and other junk, like fences and stuff. It really is like they welded trash to the front of this place. It's very confusing. Inside, Monk and Sharona talk to the DJ. They're not open yet, but Sharona shows them the tarot card half, and the DJ brings them to a coat room where they find the other half of the card attached to a jacket.

SPEAKER_06 49:47

What is the likelihood of this? Big wheeling suspense of a moment.

SPEAKER_03 49:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 49:52

This little piece of garbage from the Ferris wheel.

SPEAKER_03 49:57

Yeah. I mean they could have found someone else's jacket, but but the DJ does tell them it's been there for a while. Back at the Hall of Justice, the review board is meeting again, this time facing Captain Stodelmeyer. They bring up the fact that Stadelmeyer has used Monk many times in the last two and a half years. He agrees, yes, that's true, on a consulting basis. And he has been helpful. Stadlmeyer affirms that yes, in fact, he's helped them solve six incredibly difficult cases. He has a unique way of um looking at evidence. Stadlmeyer is fidgety. He's literally twiddling his thumbs and not in a relaxed way. The blonde woman asks, Do you think Mr. Monk is ready to be reinstated?

SPEAKER_06 50:42

Ugh This breaks my heart, because you could see the struggle on Leland's face that he wants to say something good about him, and he is trying. He says multiple beautiful, commendable things about him, but he just can't say yes.

SPEAKER_03 51:01

Yeah. I'm gonna play the tape for some of his answers because there's no way I'm gonna be able to describe this, but you're dead on.

SPEAKER_00 51:11

The question is: do you believe that he should be reinstated to the San Francisco Police Department?

SPEAKER_07 51:17

He is reliable. He uh has an encyclopedic knowledge of the strangest, most arcane things. Like bookbinding.

SPEAKER_02 51:26

There was a case before you got this is a yes or no question. Oh, in your opinion, is he or is he not ready to be reinstated? Yes or no.

SPEAKER_03 51:41

He's struggling here. His poor mustache is a furry coat warming the saddest frown. He clearly doesn't want to say what he feels he has to say here. The scene ends before we find out his answer.

SPEAKER_06 51:59

But his answer is is very clear that he is he's not going to be recommending him.

SPEAKER_03 52:06

Well, let's find out, shall we? Okay, let's find out, shall we? Next, we are back in the courtroom. The prosecution is asking for a continuance for the judge. From the judge, excuse me. Defense is quick to push back. Of course they want to postpone. Lieutenant Kirk wasn't just one of their witnesses, he was their only witness. And now he's accused of murder. Which to me, again, this is too little to convict.

SPEAKER_06 52:35

And then we see the defendant. Yeah. Who is Leonard Stokes? And oh my god, he is hot.

SPEAKER_03 52:42

Oh, okay. I didn't even do a description, describe him for us, Kathy.

SPEAKER_06 52:46

He's just a hottie, he's a brunette, he's tall, he's hot.

SPEAKER_03 52:48

He's a classic leading man. But in this case, with some danger and some anger.

SPEAKER_06 52:54

Yeah, with some murderer attached.

SPEAKER_03 52:57

So yum yum. The defense lawyer goes on. Leonard Stokes has been in jail for 14 months based solely on Kirk's testimony. Which, Kathy, that's too little. Again, eesh. Have I mentioned my greatest fear of being jailed for a crime I didn't do? The fact that someone can even be arrested and held based on so little is terrifying. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 53:21

That's why you have the right to a speedy trial. Yeah, I I don't know what happened. I wasn't there. I don't think it's right. I am I am sorry.

SPEAKER_03 53:30

So the judge has no choice. Since the prosecution can no longer vouch for Kirk's credibility, he can't present witness testimony. So Leonard Stokes is free to go.

SPEAKER_06 53:40

He's out of there.

SPEAKER_03 53:41

I mean, ladies, he's out. Um at the jail, Monk and Sharona are waiting. Monk is still refusing to tell her how he knew the jelly bean amount. Stokes walks to the property room to get his personal effects and Monk approaches. He introduces himself to Stokes and then asks if he knew John Gittimer. No, Stokes says quickly. Monk pulls something out of his pocket and shows it to Stokes. This is his cell phone, he says. Gittimer received two phone calls from the jail on the day he was killed. From Stokes' wing specifically. So what, Stokes retorts. You were calling him, Monk says calmly, almost apologetically. I check the records. They log every outgoing call. The official at the property room dumps out a bunch of Stokes' stuff. Monk notices a watch and comments on how nice it is. Stokes puts on the watch and then tells them quickly, Yeah, Gitimer, I remember him. He was here. Do you remember him calling? Monk asks. I don't recall, Stokes tells him. What difference does it make? It's just interesting, Monk responds. You two knew each other, and his murder is the basis for your appeal. Stokes picks up an orange pin with three diamond shapes on it. What's that? Monk asks. It's from my straight and sober group. Is that a thing, straight and sober? I don't know. I've never heard of it. Yeah, and their nut pins are really nice. It was it was a nice pen, yeah. It's a three year sobriety chip. Pin, excuse me. Monk congratulates him. Look, I know where this is going, Stokes interrupts. You're looking to clear your pal Lieutenant Kirk. But Monk's words and the sneer on Sherona's face reminds us that Kirk is no friend to them. They're just looking for the truth. Lieutenant Kirk is a killer cop. That's the truth. Just not the truth you want. Monk looks away. You could be right, he says. Then is there someplace I could reach you? No, Stokes responds coolly. See you around. Sharona rolls her eyes at Stokes' back. Gee, he's a real charmer. And I want to do her voice so bad, but I can't. Monk looks at the clock. It's two minutes to three. They rush out in a panic. Back at the Hall of Justice, Sherona leans on a balcony overlooking the atrium. Monk walks out wearing his police uniform, a huge grin filling his face.

SPEAKER_06 56:05

I don't think it's like a police uniform. I think it's like the special uniform that you wear for like special events. Like, unfortunately, funerals is coming to mind, but like Is it like formal blues? It is like the formal outfit, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 56:20

See, that's what was confusing because to me it looked like a beat cop uniform, and why would he wear that if he was already a detective?

SPEAKER_06 56:25

No, it was a formal uniform.

SPEAKER_03 56:27

It was a special one. I didn't know they had special outfits for special occasions, like Barbie. Yes, just like Barbie. Now I want to be a cop. Okay. Um so either way, he's wearing his fanciest official duds. Yes, he's he's fancy. Sharona asks him, Are you sure you're not getting your hopes up? And we're all, oh no. At least I was. When I saw the uniform, I obviously thought he'd been approved. And then he says, That's what hopes are for. And they smile at each other.

SPEAKER_06 57:04

It's just such a beautiful moment. It really is.

SPEAKER_03 57:07

And it's so atypical. And their love for each other is very real in that moment. But Monk is like never hopeful.

SPEAKER_06 57:15

Hopefully.

SPEAKER_03 57:16

I know. It is it is unusual. Just then, Stadlmeyer steps out, buttoning his coat. His face is telling, filled with dread, guilt, and also stalwart resolve. He walks towards them, and Monk's formerly hope-filled face slowly falls.

SPEAKER_02 57:39

Uh no. You didn't recommend me. Look, Monk. You son of a bitch. I thought you were gonna do the right thing. I think I did do the right thing.

SPEAKER_05 57:49

He saved your ass all the time, and he never asked for anything in return. He closes case after case, and then he goes home and watches you on the news, taking all the credit.

SPEAKER_07 58:01

Wanted to recommend you. I tried to recommend you, but I just couldn't do it. Adrian, you are not ready to carry a gun. You're not ready to have other cops depend on you under fire. In your heart, you know you're not ready.

SPEAKER_03 58:16

Brutal. Monk walks away, and Sherona, left standing with the captain, whispers, At least your friend Kirk has the decency to stab people in the front. Outside Monk leans against the building looking down. He's rubbing his neck. Sherona joins him and asks, You okay? I just want to be alone, Monk tells her before walking away. Sherona responds, Okay. Places an arm on his shoulder. I love her.

SPEAKER_06 58:50

I love them.

SPEAKER_03 58:52

Yeah. Oh, the top of my head is tinkling.

SPEAKER_06 58:55

If you walk away, I'll come with you. Same. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 59:02

That was a nice little moment. Okay. Disher enters Stadelmeyer's office with wide eyes. He asks, How did it go today, sir? The captain is defeated. It was rough. Randy is sure the captain did everything he could. And then asks, Do you want to go for a drink?

SPEAKER_06 59:22

I think that Randy, when he says, I think you did everything you could, he thinks that he advocated for monk. Right.

SPEAKER_03 59:30

Yeah. I don't think because Randy is already recommending monk for hard cases. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I think he doesn't understand. The detective says, Nah, no drinks, but then asks Randy if he ever told him about Monk's first day as a detective. Randy sits down interested. He didn't have a partner, so Stodemeyer got stuck with him. Was he Randy circles his two fingers in the air, miming crazy? But the captain cuts him off. No, he was a little wound. Used to wipe off the windshield and rearrange the glove box before the they could head out.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:06

Anyway, were the primaries on a body in a hotel in the castro? A hooker had swallowed a bunch of uh promazine, you know the big sleeping pills. Horse tranquilizer, sir. I said suicide. Every cop on the scene said suicide. Medical examiner said suicide. Monk walks in and says murder. Where's the water? The room had no water. Simple. Eight people in the room, but nobody saw that.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:33

The next scene finds us at Sharona's house, where Monk is vacuuming and vacuuming and vacuuming. He's clearly been cleaning for hours, the whole house. Sherona and Benji are just watching. Then suddenly Monk yells out, Damn. We all think he's vacuumed his foot or something, but then Damn, damn, damn! They continue. Sherona hollers over the vacuum and the dams. Adrian, what happened? Monk sits down, puts his head in his hands, then looks at them resigned. I solve the case.

SPEAKER_06 1:01:08

I feel like the damn tantrum, as I call it, is iconic. I think they really they show this. I I've seen this multiple times. So I don't know if he does it multiple times, or if it's just been shown in commercials or what, or if they like replay back to it. But he these moments come to him when he's just vacuuming or doing nothing and he's like, oh, I solved it.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:40

But think of how frustrating, especially this one. He's working he doesn't want to solve it. He's getting a bad cop back on the street after being betrayed by someone that was also his former partner.

SPEAKER_06 1:01:53

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:54

And he knows he's a better cop and a better human. He doesn't want to solve this case, but he can't help it. He's a genius. Yeah. So, um, at the police department, a cop brings Staldemer his lunch, ham and cheese on rye, and a soda. The cop opens a sandwich and grabs the pickle on top. You want your pickle? He asks the captain. He says, not anymore. And honestly, what's with touching other people's food? Did I, was I just okay with this? Because now it's just gross and invasive. But like No, you've never been okay with it. I know I haven't. But was the world okay with this? We don't see it anymore, I think. No, no, it's never been okay. Okay, good. This cop. Anyway, the cop eats his pickle and then tells Stodemeyer Sharona is online too, and it's important. On the other end of the line, we hear Sharona tell him Adrienne knows what happened at the Ferris wheel. Does he want to meet them at the carnival? The captain asks to speak to Monk, but Monk rightly refuses. He does Monk does tell Sharona, who tells the captain, it wasn't Kirk. There's a whole back and forth where the captain demands to talk to Monk, but Monk refuses, and then finally allows. If Sharona wants to hold up the phone, fine. She holds up the phone to Monk's face, and he tells the captain, it was Leonard Stokes. He planned the whole thing from prison. His trial was coming up, and somehow he had to get his confession thrown out. The only chance he had was to discredit the cop who had arrested him, and that was Adam Kirk. The screen goes to black and white, and we see Stokes on the phone calling his good friend Gittimer. He convinced Gittimer to lure lure Kirk onto That's.

SPEAKER_06 1:03:47

Do you want me to include that?

SPEAKER_03 1:03:53

So, actually, I do. Um in college, my best friend and I used to watch this show called The Edge with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin, where they were on it, it's like a they're about to die um and they're they're being hunted by a bear. And Anthony Hopkins says, We're going to lure the motherfucker. And we used to say lure all the time like that. Anyway, sorry for saying the MF or mom. So he convinced Gittimer to lure Kirk onto the Ferris wheel and then make it look like Kirk beat him up. The bruises were self-inflicted. Remember the battery socks fan invention, yeah. That's why his sweatshirt was zipped all the way up. So back in color, the captain asks Sharona, who asks Monk, what about the stabbing? Monk snaps back. I'm getting to that, I'm getting to it. Back to black and white. Turns out Gittimer only knew half of the plan. He was the real Patsy. Stokes had another partner, someone who worked at the carnival, someone who loved him, someone who was brave enough to kill for him, and wear a killer denim vest every single day. Ooh, very nice. In color. The captain wants to know what's the connection? How do they even know each other? They were both wearing straight and sober buttons. Black and white. Gittimer is hunched over the ride as Kirk gets off. Stokes didn't just want Kirk to look corrupt and hot tempered. He wanted Kirk to look like a killer. And we see Kitty rush up and shove the knife into Gittimer's heart. At the carnival, back in color and present day, we see Stokes and Kitty in a passionate discussion. I love this. She tells him the cops have been there every day and she's been questioned a million times. And he goes, Kitty baby, I've got a plan.

SPEAKER_06 1:05:48

So I wrote it down because I just love it. Kitty baby, I've got a plan.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:53

I feel like whoever wrote Stokes' dialogue had to dumb it real down because the guy was good looking but not good at all. Acting. Every line from here on out where I'm like, huh, that is it, that's a choice. So then we see Monk and Sharona rush through the throngs of carnival goers. Monk is scanning the crowd as Sharona gets off the phone. The cops are on their way. Monk looks past the octopus ride to see the Ferris wheel, frozen. Something's wrong, he tells Sharona. A scream pierces through the din. Our detecting duo rush toward a growing crowd. At the center, we see Kitty with the tiniest cut mark on her chest. She has already bled out. There's not a lot of blood for someone who's bleeding out. Yeah. But she's bad guys. And I'm done. Night night kitty cat. And then I realized. Cat. Another Catherine. Oh, very nice. Maybe we don't know if Kitty was actually kitty cat, but still. You know, I think you're on Catherine that someone on the team hated and was trying to send a message to very nice. Stokes is still somewhere in the park. Monk shouts, there's no way he can get out of here now. And I'm like, why? Why can't he get out? Anyway, um, but Sharona tells Monk they should go up on the Ferris wheel to get a better vantage point. But Monk has a better idea. Sharona goes on the Ferris wheel, she can get a look at everything. Monk will run the ride from below.

SPEAKER_06 1:07:20

Going on the Ferris wheel where you could see everything. How hard could it be? Yes. These moments hurt me inside.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:27

I know. So she gets into a hot pink bucket asking Monk if he can control the ride. He responds to the classic, how hard can it be? How hard could it be? So setting us all up for shenanigans.

SPEAKER_06 1:07:40

Okay, these moments hurt me inside, for sure. Now I'm saying it again. Good. These moments hurt me inside. Okay. She's so hurt from inside. Wanted to get my line in.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:53

I love it. Please keep all of that in. Um, okay, so Monk pushes a couple buttons and pulls the lever. Sharona glides up. So far, so good. Are you ready?

SPEAKER_06 1:08:04

I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna do the line.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:06

Oh, good. Gittermers? No. I mean um Stokes's? Yeah. Yes, okay. When she's at the right height, Monk stops the ride. Sharona starts scanning, only to hear a menacing male voice directly behind her. Looking for me.

SPEAKER_06 1:08:22

Are you gonna keep going? No, that's all I wrote because it says, looking for me, well, here I am. Ha ha, no, Scotty, no. Oh. Because my my cat jumped on top of my puzzle, and I it was I had to go rescue my puzzle. So that that's what happened to me writing down the line.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:40

Well, it continues. Your acting is so perfect. Thank you. You looking for me? Well, here I am. You better hang on because this ride's gonna get pretty wild. Oh, Stokes. It's really um Sharona starts panicking, yelling at Monk to get her down. Stokes at the same time is climbing out of his orange bucket seat, making his way toward our girl. Because I know after I murder my girlfriend, I go and get on the fair.

SPEAKER_06 1:09:15

Cherry wheel.

SPEAKER_03 1:09:16

And then what's his plan here?

SPEAKER_06 1:09:19

He's gonna go murder the assistant of the detective that is hunting him. And that's gonna stop him from being arrested.

SPEAKER_03 1:09:25

How? This is so stupid. So stupid. Monk pushes the lever and nothing happens. He's pushing buttons, nothing's happening, music plays, Sharona screams, bells sound, it's all chaos. Stokes continues to climb toward her when the ride begins to move. Monk wrestles with the lever, then pulls the whole thing out. Things are not good. Stokes is almost to Sharona's bucket seat. When Monk leaps onto a nearby bucket, everybody is watching as Stokes climbs into Sherona's bucket. I need to stop saying bucket. Adrian is hanging precariously next to them. Stokes pulls out a knife when the ride jerks to a stop at the top of the circle. Stokes drops his knife at the sudden stop, and Staldemeyer and Disher are below with a bunch of uniforms, all pointing their guns. Stokes realized he's been got. He snarls, then raises his hand in surrender. And that's it for his acting. Yep. We're done with him. Whatever final lines he had, they are like, mm.

SPEAKER_06 1:10:29

The snarl will we're done with him.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:31

Monk hangs limply nearby. It was so brave. It was so heroic. But then he couldn't do it. Back in Stadlmeyer's office, Randy's standing right nearby. He shuffles into his desk. And I just have to say, the whole time the camera is on Monk's face. Stadelmeyer begins. I've been looking forward to this. He places a gun and a badge on his desk. They don't belong to me. They belong with you on the street where you can do your job. The camera pants to Monk's face where every shade of longing flits over it. His eyes the most. But the captain isn't talking to Monk. He's talking to Lieutenant Adam Kirk, the on the job drinker, let's not forget potential meth user who likes to frequent strip clubs, which that part I'm okay with, but also has an incredibly short temper. Yep. We aren't pleased with him. No, this guy is the last guy that needs a gun and power. Kirk and Stodemeyer shake hands. Kirk's reinstatement is effective immediately. Monk can't help himself but straighten Kirk's badge, and to Kirk's credit, he does thank Monk and give him a little pat. Everyone else clears the office except Monk, Disher, Sherona, and the captain. Sherona and Monk seem so sad and small facing the captain, who looks down at them with a raised chin. He smiles. Don't give up. Monk stares for a second and then says wait a minute, is that an order? Yes it is, the captain says, smile widening, and they leave. At a park on a beach, Monk sits on a bench. How did you guess the jelly bean? Sherona asks. Monk's left foot is out in front of him, wearing only a sock, and he's panicked. Sherona, give me the shoe. We see our girl a few feet away holding Monk's shoe. Tell me, she demands. Come on, this is not funny, Monk whines, but it is a little. Just tell me, how'd you do it? she demands. Frustrated, Monk relents. Alright, he tells her. As they walked into the carnival, there was a pile of garbage. He noticed they were throwing away empty jelly bean boxes. The boxes were labeled. Each one contained fourteen hundred jelly beans. There were six boxes, so that's eighty four hundred beans. You figure the kid who ran the game ate a couple of handfuls, so that's eight thousand three hundred and eighty-five. Very nice. At this Sharona chuckles, sits down next to him and returns Monk's shoe. You remembered how many empty boxes you saw, she says. A statement more than a question. Yes, he responds tiredly. It's a blessing and a curse. The two get up and walk away, and Monk says, Please don't ever take my shoes again. Sharona snickers. It's not funny. And it will never be funny. It won't be funny the next time you do it. And on they go into the sunset until next week. Yay. That was great.

SPEAKER_06 1:13:42

Well, thank you so much for joining us this week. Thank you guys. This was really fun. Thank you, Kathy. Thank you, Jen.

SPEAKER_03 1:13:51

And don't forget to adopt, don't shop. And we love you. We'll see you next week.

SPEAKER_06 1:13:56

Sounds good. See you next week. Bye. I'm really getting into the show. I love it.

SPEAKER_03 1:14:03

I watched the full episode of it.

SPEAKER_06 1:14:05

I love that you want to talk about it. I do.

SPEAKER_03 1:14:09

I do because I like the psychiatric aspect of it. And I'm really like. You fall in love with what you focus on. I'm all monk all the time now.